Container partition structure



March 20, 1956 J. T. MADER 2,738,917

CONTAINER PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed May 11, 1954 20 .Zfinzor: 25 James TMZaaer a] @mwuaQ (pm/ m United States Patent CONTAINER PARTITION STRUCTURE James T. Mader, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., assignor to Consolidated Water Power & Paper Co., Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 11, 1954, Serial No. 428,929

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-42) This invention relates to improvements in a partition structure and refers particularly to a foldable partition construction which may be employed in partitioning or dividing a container or carton into a plurality of compartments.

One of the objects of the present invention resides in a foldable partition construction wherein the central partition element, that is, the partition element which is subjected to severest use, is of reinforced construction.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and following detailed description.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view taken through a container divided by my improved foldable partition.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the partition in expanded position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the partition in folded position.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 indicates a container which may be adapted to carry bread, bakery goods or other materials which are relatively soft and may be subject to crushing if piled one on the other. The container 1 may be of any desired construction but for purposes of illustration the container 1 comprises opposite side walls 2 and 3, a top 4 and a bottom 5. Opposite end Walls are also contemplated which completely close the container space.

A partition 6 is adapted to be removably positioned within the container 1 whereby the interior of the container is divided into compartments 7, 8, 9 and 10. The partition 6 is constructed in two portions generally designated 11 and 12 in the drawings.

The portion 11 comprises a blank which is of a width substantially equal to the interior width of the container, said blank being folded along fold lines 13 and 14 to provide a central platform 15 and two leg portion 16 and 17, the latter being intended to support the platform 15.

The portion 12 comprises a blank which is folded along fold lines 18 and 19 to define a central platform 20 and two leg portions 21 and 22, the latter being adapted to support the platform 20. When the portions 11 and 12 are disposed in the container 1 the leg portion 16 of the blank 11 lies in plane-parallel relationship to the wall 2 and the leg portion 21 lies in plane-parallel relationship to the wall 3. The leg portions 17 and 22 lie centrally in said container and are disposed in plane-parallel relationship to each other. i v

As a feature of the present invention the blank comprising the portion 12 is folded in U-fashion along line of fold 23 whereby a central leg member 24 lies in planeparallel relationship to the leg portion 22. A reinforcing wall portion 25 is joined to the leg member 24 by the fold line 26 and the edge of said wall portion is positioned between the leg member 24 and leg portion 22.

With leg portion 22, leg member 24 and wall portion 25 in plane-parallel relationship to the leg portion 17 of the blank 11 and in plane-parallel relationship to each other, stitching or rivets 27 may be employed to secure all of said plane-parallel parts together in a rigid and strong partition member which is adapted to extend from the bottom 5 to the top 4 of the container 1.

Thus the partition 6 has a central partition member which divides compartments 7 and 9 from compartments 8 and 10. The partition member thus formed is of plural thickness throughout its length and is exceedingly strong. In addition, the entire partition comprises only two blanks so associated with each other as to render mutual support to each other.

For purposes of storing and shipping the entire partition 6 may be folded, as shown in Fig. 3, to dispose all of the component parts in plane-parallel fiat relationship. The partition 6 is preferably construeted of cardboard or other readily foldable material, and, if desired, the cardboard may be of the lined corrugated type.

I claim as my invention:

A foldable partition structure for partitioning the space in a parallelopiped container having opposite side walls and a top and bottom, said partition structure comprising, a foldable cardboard partition member having a platform panel and foldably connected outer and inner leg portions, the outer leg portion of said member being adapted to be disposed in plane-parallel relationship to a side wall of the container, a second foldable cardboard partition member having a platform panel and foldably connected outer and inner leg portions, the outer leg portion of said second partition member being adapted to be disposed in plane-parallel relationship to an opposite side wall of the container, a central panel portion integrally connected to the inner leg portion of the second partition member, said central panel being folded upon itself to form at least a double thickness structure for a major portion of its length, said central panel being adapted to be disposed parallel to said opposite side walls of the container and being adapted to extend from the bottom to the top of the container below and above said platform panels, said central panel being positioned adjacent and between the in ner leg portions of said partition members below said platform panels to form a leg of at least triple thickness,

and means for securing the central panel between the inner leg portions of said partition members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

